Page 23 - Working-and-ageing-Guidance-and-counselling-for-mature-learning

3062_EN_C1_Layout 1 11/23/11 4:21 PM Page 17

CHAPTER 1
Setting the scene: promoting an inclusive labour market for ageing workers 17

To improve quality and transparency of job vacancy information and
matching supply and demand for skills and competences on EU labour
markets, a standard multilingual dictionary of occupations and skills will be
developed (European Commission, 2008). This European skills, competences
4
and occupations taxonomy (ESCO), a joint policy initiative ( ) that will be
carried out in cooperation between the European Commission and Member
States, aims to support skills development and employability. It still remains
somewhat open to what degree guidance will be an integral element in ESCO.
ESCO has great potential to bring benefits to both job-seekers and employers,
especially when guidance takes a prominent place in the initiative.
Member States have been working towards creating an infrastructure that
eases citizensʼ lifelong acquisition, application and further development of
career management skills by providing them with better opportunities for
systematic career development. In the coming years, the focus will be on
operationalisation of career management skills so that citizens will be
empowered to formulate and put into practice personal action plans for further
learning, career management and other life goals (Cedefop, 2011). Initiatives
and actions also support employers to use better the talents and skills of their
staff and engage more actively ageing workers in career planning at work
(including occupational recycling, job-redesign, new function identification,
flexible working schedules and cooperation in age-mixed and/or
intergenerational teams).

1.5. Overview of this publication

This publication highlights the importance of guidance in an ageing workforce.
It contains three parts. The first, Supporting active ageing: aligning new labour-
market needs with individual aspirations, considers factors that impact on the
success of active ageing by looking at it from various perspectives. In
Chapter 2, Annemieke van Beek, Wilma Henderikse and Joop Schippers
examine to what extent European employers in several countries support
longer working lives and what specific measures and instruments they use.
From the viewpoint of transitional labour markets, Dick Moraal considers the

4
( ) ESCO is aimed at institutions and stakeholders in the labour-market and education sectors. It will
be progressively developed over the coming years to include as many occupations as possible. To
ensure that ESCO meets the needs of its users and interested parties (including employment
services, social partners, companies, education and training institutions or developers of job search
web tools), they are invited to take part in its development.